ONE OF Oxford University’s first Aboriginal students is holding an exhibition of self portraits at the Pitt Rivers museum.

Christian Thompson, 34, was awarded Australia’s Charles Perkins scholarship, and is now studying for a PhD in philosophy and fine art.

He was invited by the museum to create a body of work inspired by the museum’s collection of Aboriginal photographs.

Mr Thompson created a series of photographic self-portraits involving elements such as crystals and flowers.

He said: “I was really interested in the idea of being inspired by, rather than commenting on the exhibition.

“I tried to transform the gallery into a ritual site using crystals and flowers.”

The exhibition is part of an international research project led by Dr Jane Lydon at Monash University, Australia, entitled Globalization, photography, and race: the circulation and return of Aboriginal photographs in Europe.

The exhibition runs until January 3.